Moonlighter

Moonlighter

Guru, freelancer,

One in 17 Americans are working more than one job. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 7 to 8 million of us — about 5+ percent of all workers — work multiple jobs (which is often referred to as moonlighting and dual or multiple jobholding). Interestingly, after years of decline, the number of workers holding multiple jobs again appears on the rise. And as we listen to various workplace futurists, there is a sense that we will become more increasingly a workforce of independent contractors working for multiple employers.

What are some strategies for finding and surviving a second job — or a third? You’ll find the answers to these questions i n this article on moonlighting in America.

People working multiple jobs come from just about every demographic group — across all ages, races, genders, marital statuses, geographic locations, and education levels — from the very young to the highly educated. More men moonlight, though the number of women doing so has risen dramatically over the last decade. The majority of moonlighters are married, most in their late 30s or early 40s and the vast majority (at least of reported moonlighters) are white. And interestingly, the highest percentage of people working multiple jobs are located in Midwestern states, such as Nebraska and North Dakota, while some of the lowest are in the Southeast, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama.

People have all sorts of reasons for taking a second job. Some do it as the beginning of a career-change move, gaining experience in a new career field before making the full switch. Others work multiple jobs to simply meet living expenses. Still others do it (usually on a temporary basis) to earn extra money. Finally, others do it because they simply enjoy the second job.